From This Day Forward
by Nothing You Can Prove
Summary: When Max Caulfield is faced with her final decision, only one choice makes sense. (Sac!Arcadia ending with alterations)


**So, just fancied giving the sac!Arcadia ending a little more substance. Because we could always do with more feels in this fandom, amirite?**

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 **Friday, October 11, 2013 - Arcadia Bay, Lighthouse - Max's POV**

As I came to the end of my nightmare - the museum of memories I shared with Chloe from this week - I could hear her calling for me, reassuring. That voice I knew and cherished now more than anything.

"Max, come on now! Don't worry… we'll be okay."

In a moment, I was back, my weight supported by my blue-haired punk friend as we approached the lighthouse on the cliff overlooking the storm. We collapsed to the wet ground as my mind adjusted to suddenly being thrown back in control of my body. I was drenched to the skin, hair plastered to my head as I involuntarily shivered. Finally, I had escaped that nightmare… only to wake up in another.

"Max? Max, can you hear me? Please, say something," Chloe pleaded, trying to get a reaction, anything to let her know I was okay.

As the lingering images of my nightmare faded away, I managed to mutter in response. "Chloe? I… I must have passed out… Sorry."

Sighing in relief, she put her arm on my shoulder as rain lashed her skin. "Oh, thank God… Don't you ever do that again, okay?"

"I swear… but that nightmare was so real… was so horrible…" I shuddered as Chloe helped me to my feet. Then, my attention turned to the storm heading straight for Arcadia. It swirled, menacing and destructive. "This is my storm. I caused this… I caused all of this. I changed fate and destiny so much that… I actually did alter the course of everything. And all I really created was just death and destruction!"

On Monday, I had only wanted to save Chloe… and in doing so, I had doomed a whole town of people on Friday. It was a bitter pill to swallow. I'd had a direct hand in the imminent destruction of Arcadia, and the death that would inevitably follow. Cold rain mingled with warm tears, both rolling down my cheeks.

Then, I felt firm hands on my shoulders, watery blue eyes locking onto mine. "Fuck all of that, okay? You were given a power. You didn't ask for it… and you saved me. Which had to happen, all of this did… except for what happened to Rachel. But without your power, we wouldn't have found her! Okay, so you're not the goddamn Time Master, but you're Maxine Caulfield… and you're amazing." Chloe's last few words were soft, almost lost to the raging wind.

I held her gaze for a moment or two, ultimately drawn back to the oncoming tornado. Silence fell, only broken by the sound of the tornado whipping across the water and the rhythmic pelting of rain. How could I fix this?

After some time, I heard Chloe's voice again, only barely registering the butterfly photo in her hands. "Max, this is the only way."

Staring at the fateful photo, one that marked the biggest change in my life, I thought over everything I had been through this week - the good, bad and... worse. "I feel like I took this shot a thousand years ago."

"You… You could use that photo to change everything right back to when you took that picture… All that would take is for me to… to…" Chloe exhaled deeply, fighting the sobs as she brought her hands to her face.

Then, it dawned on me… what she was asking. My body filled with protective anger, not at her but at our situation. "Fuck that! No… no way! You are my number one priority now. You are all that matters to me."

This wasn't even an option. I had done so much, risked everything to keep Chloe alive. After everything we'd been through, I could _never_ live with myself if I made that choice.

Chloe's expression softened, watery blue eyes filled with bittersweet acknowledgment. "I know. You proved that over and over again… even though I don't deserve it." Her voice was breaking now, pushed to the limit. "I'm so selfish… not like my mom… Look what she had to give up and live through… and she did. She deserves so much more than to be killed by a storm in a fucking diner. Even my step… father deserves her alive. There's so many more people in Arcadia Bay who should live… way more than me…"

My head shook in fervent disagreement. I couldn't listen to her comparing her worth like this, not now. Not _ever_. "Don't say that… I won't trade you."

Face filled with sympathy, Chloe too shook her head, weaker than I had. "You're not trading me. Maybe you've just been delaying my real destiny… Look at how many times I've almost died or actually died around you. Look at what's happening in Arcadia Bay ever since you first saved me. I know I've been selfish," her grip on me tightened, betraying her fear, "but for once I think I should accept my fate… our fate…"

"Chloe…" I began, not sure what I wanted to say after that. All I wanted to do was tell her she was being stupid, that I wouldn't do this.

Before I could find the words, she beat me to the punch. "Max, you finally came back to me this week, and…" she hesitated, a moment of confliction as her voice failed her, "...you did nothing but show me your love and friendship. You made me smile and laugh, like I haven't done in years. Wherever I end up after this… in whatever reality… all those moments between us were real, and they'll always be ours." Barely holding onto her composure, Chloe's next few words were soft yet to me, they sounded like a scream, engulfing my mind. "No matter what you choose, I know you'll make the right decision."

She couldn't ask this of me. "Chloe… I can't make this choice…"

Her voice turned almost calm, eerie as she stared into my eyes. "No, Max… You're the only one who can."

Stunned by her proposal, I stared at her for the longest time. "No, Chloe, you don't understand. This isn't a choice for me. I can't…"

As my voice broke, her hands fell down to her sides limply. "Max…"

I held up my hand, silencing her. If I didn't say this now, I never would. "I can't let it end like this. I can't let you die thinking nobody cared, that I didn't care. Because that couldn't be further from the truth. And what would you do? Could you do what you're asking me to do?"

"I… no, I couldn't," she admitted guiltily. "But you're a better person than I could ever be, Max."

"Stop it. Don't you _dare_ continue that thought," I demanded, cutting her off. "You _are_ a good person, Chloe. The universe just decided to fuck you over too many times, for whatever reason. None of this is your fault."

She didn't seem as convinced of that as I was. "I wish I could believe that, Max. So many times over the past five years I could've changed, but I didn't. And yes, I was angry and sad, and I had the right to be for a time, but that's no excuse. It's easy to blame other people: my mom and dad, David, Rachel… you. In the end, nobody forced my hand. I decided. And I only wish it hadn't taken me so fucking long to realize that."

Hearing her beat herself up like this was a stab through the heart. "Whatever you did, or think you did, you don't deserve this."

"And you didn't deserve any of this." Chloe motioned back to the angry storm, moving closer and closer to the shoreline. "All because I was reckless and impulsive. If I hadn't met with Nathan, none of this would even be happening."

"Stop right there, Chloe Price. I will _not_ listen to this bullshit. You hear me?" I refused to let her continue this self-depreciation. "We all make mistakes, fuck I've made a ton, but that doesn't make us bad people. And one thing I know without a doubt… saving you is _not_ one of my many mistakes. It never will be. In fact, it might be one of the only good things I've done during this shitshow."

As I continue to stare at my best friend, I could see the confliction. Part of her clearly wanted to accept what I was saying without question, so desperately. On the other hand, she knew that by doing that the tornado would swallow Arcadia up. Slowly, I was getting through to her. Just a little more...

I put my hands firmly on her shoulders, ready to let everything I'd been withholding free. Honestly, I wanted to shake some sense into her, release the anxiousness I felt inside. My stomach churned, butterflies. It would have been nice to admit this another time, a better one, anything else. Even with my rewind, my timings were still off.

Letting out a deep breath, I ran over what I wanted to say and let the words tumble from my lips. "I don't know what this is - what we are - and honestly it scares me, but… I want to find out. With you." I watched her eyes widen slightly, unsure whether that was a good or bad sign. "Yes, it might be selfish. And yes, you might hate me for it. Honestly, I couldn't care less right now. I'm not giving you up. Not again."

"Max, I could never hate you. And believe me, I've been trying for five fucking years." Swallowing back tears, Chloe put her hand over my right one, her thumb making small circles on the back of my palm. "After you left… I lost a huge part of myself. Being here with you again, even with all the crazy rewind shit, reminded me of that person I used to be - happy, for once."

"You were always there for me, Chloe. To face the bullies, to cheer me up, to encourage me… and I failed you once before." My face fell, guilt gnawing at my insides. "I'm not doing it again..."

Chloe didn't reply straight away, debating something. "Max… why are you going to do this?"

I frowned, not sure what she was getting at. "Isn't it obvious? I'm not going to let you die… again."

"But why, Max? Why aren't you? Is it just guilt or…?" She didn't finish her sentence, too scared to.

Taking her hands in mine, I put as much conviction as I could into my voice. "I'm not going to let you die because you mean too fucking much to me, and I don't want to live in any reality - alternate or otherwise - without Chloe Elizabeth Price there by my side. Because…"

I let the sentence hang unfinished, getting caught up in those all too familiar blue eyes. There were much sadder than I remembered, pained and troubled. Not only that but… I picked up on a flicker of longing. Was I reading the situation right? Did she…?

My body seemed to move on instinct, hand cupping her cheek. At the contact, she leaned into my touch, eyes still focused on mine. No backing out now. Hesitantly, I leaned in closer to her, heart racing. She met me part way, our lips colliding in a tentative kiss. It was different from before, not passed off a joke.

Gaining confidence, I moved my lips against hers more firmly, feeling her match my pacing. Her hands snaked around my waist, pulling me closer as her tongue cautiously poked at my lips. I opened my eyes, heart jumping when I saw the unrestrained longing. Getting the hint, I let it slide into my mouth, wrapping my arms around her neck. I almost forgot to breathe, remembering I had a nose as well as a mouth. My heart ached from the tenderness, the storm and everything else fading away into the background. Time almost seemed to slow.

When we finally broke apart, after what felt like weeks not seconds, I rested my head on her chest, listening to her increased heartbeat. "That's why…"

She continued to hold me, resting her chin on the top of my head. "I have to admit, you make a pretty compelling argument."

"Don't I always?" I muttered into her soaked jacket.

"Listen, Max. I… I don't want to die," she admitted, vulnerable as she bore her heart and soul, "and I don't want to leave you behind to pick up the pieces. I want to be there with you, share the burdens and memories - old and new. I want… you, so bad. But…"

I glanced up at her, cutting her off. "There are no buts."

"Oh, I don't know about that. Could be a lot of butts in our joint future, boney white ones in particular." She managed a humorous smirk, weaker than normal but undeniably there.

"And you call _me_ a dork…" I muttered with a light blush at the implied meaning behind those words.

A gentle smile tugged at her lips for a moment, fading into confliction as she finished her thought. "...but it won't be easy. Doesn't mean we shouldn't go down that route, if we both want to. It won't be all sunshine and rainbows. It's going to _hurt_ , a lot. For both of us."

"Can't hurt more than the alternative," I mumbled, wanting to cry even at the thought of losing Chloe now.

"Okay then," my blue-haired friend finally agreed, giving me a tight squeeze before letting me go and holding out her hand.

Nodding, I took hold of the hand she offered and we began making our way back to her truck as Arcadia Bay was swallowed up by the tornado, never once looking back. I'd done too much of that already. From now on, forward was the only direction I'd be looking. Just like now, watching Chloe lead me back to the truck, hand in mine.

I'd made my choice, and I wasn't going to regret it. Never.

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 **So yeah, there we have it. Been pretty busy recently so hopefully I'll manage to get a few other ongoing fics updated soon. Thanks for reading and hope to see you in another story soon.**


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